Run by generations of the French family Chesterton Mill was used to grind corn into flour for over 100 years. Over time as technology changed the family moved from windmill sails, to steam and then diesel. True to its heritage, today the Mill has evolved once more to provide a new community of commercial workspaces for like-minded, creative and innovative people to work and thrive in.
Chesterton Mill has a rich history dating back over 100 years, discover how the Mill has evolved over time...
In 1847 William French, a local miller moved to Cambridge and began to rent Chesterton Mills. Then in 1853 he bought the ½ acre plot of land, which included the Mill for £440 at a public auction and the Mill was run by many generations of the French family for over 100 years. Most people came to know it by the name French’s Mill.
In subsequent years, William French acquired more land, increasing the holding to some six acres. By 1861, three men were employed and by 1871 that number had doubled to six. In order to supplement the windmill and to increase productivity, a steam engine and roller mill were built in 1868.
In 1912 it was decided to dispense with wind power and the windmill was attached to the steam engine which ran the roller mill. As a consequence, the sails were removed. A gas suction engine replaced the steam engine in 1920 and in 1937 a new Lister diesel engine (installed by Eddie French pictured above) replaced the gas engine.
Bill Mead worked at the Mill in the 1930s until it closed in the 1950s. The diesel engine was sold to Iraq to be reconditioned for irrigation purposes. In subsequent years the machinery was removed and sold and some of the buildings were demolished. Those that remained were rented out as offices, stores and workshops.
In 2015 Camel Projects bought the site from the French family.
When the iconic flour mill buildings of Chesterton Mill were first constructed in the 1840s, work was all about grind.
Today, our modern workspace requirements are very different and these heritage buildings have been cleverly transformed to create 25 unique, contemporary workspaces, designed to stimulate creativity and productivity.
